It was the screeching that attracted me over to the tree near Elster Creek a few weeks ago. I found a lone Little Corella, on a branch in a gum tree. I moved in closer trying not to spook it and starting taking pictures. It screeched when I took a few rapid shots – it could hear the camera shutter sound. I watched it and it watched me. After just moving around the branch a bit it fell backward and just hung by its feet and looked at me again…I kept shooting as it started to play with branches and bark. Cockatoos are long lived birds and this must mean a certain amount of intelligence has developed and with it a sense of humour. This bird was playing and seemingly including me in its antics.
Little Corella, Elster Creek
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the Corella started to swing under the branch
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Hanging by a leg, and watching me
the moment before the end of the show
The next thing it did was let go the branch and try to grab the bark with both feet but it was far too heavy and it dropped from the tree. Luckily it had enough height to right itself and fly back up to a branch on the next tree. The show was over.
The Gap Year and Beyond 
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